meet on time

USAGE SUMMARY

"meet on time" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that someone should arrive somewhere at a predetermined or agreed-upon time. For example: "Please make sure to meet on time at the train station at 7:00pm."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Huffington Post

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

There are urgent efforts to get parliament to meet on time on 1 July and to agree in advance who will be the new PM.

BBC

He felt sad and guilty about not being able to get her to the meet on time.

Huffington Post

He spends the entire trip angry; berating her, explaining why it's her fault that she is not going to make her meet on time.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"In many cases, undue pressure had been imposed on supervisors in the field to meet on-time performance goals," he said.

The New York Times

Train operators that fail to meet on-time targets face cuts in their government subsidies, though this method can boomerang on the government and the consumer, since all but two of the operators need the subsidies to break even as it is.

The New York Times

In recent years, USPS has continually failed to meet on-time standards for nearly every First-Class Mail product.

Forbes

The PRC's annual compliance determination, which it evaluates everything the USPS did in 2016, shows how the company failed to meet on-time delivery targets for all First-Class Mail products and nearly all Standard Mail products.

Forbes

For some mail products where delivery volumes are the highest, like all First-Class Single-Piece letters, the USPS has failed to meet on-time goals for three years in a row.

Forbes

For example, as the chart below shows, the Postal Service was expected to meet on-time delivery 95.25% of the time for 3 to 5 day flats, but made on-time delivery only 65.3% of the time – a shortfall of 30.0% and much worse than its 12.9% shortfall in 2011.

Forbes

All of this happens online, but classes still (virtually) meet on set days and times to go over the material.

TechCrunch

The riches that supply Pep Guardiola's £15m salary and ensure the £264m wage bill for the players is met on time do not just come from oil.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "meet on time" when emphasizing the importance of sticking to a schedule, particularly in project management or time-sensitive situations.

Common error

Avoid using "meet on time" when the emphasis is on the content of the meeting rather than the act of being punctual. In those cases, phrases like "attend the meeting" or "participate in the discussion" might be more suitable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "meet on time" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb to emphasize the importance of punctuality. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It indicates not just meeting, but doing so punctually.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Huffington Post

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "meet on time" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, albeit not exceedingly common. As Ludwig AI confirms, it emphasizes the importance of punctuality when attending a scheduled gathering. It's most frequently found in news and media, as well as blogs like Huffington Post, and is suitable for neutral to professional contexts. While alternatives such as "arrive punctually" or "be on schedule" exist, "meet on time" uniquely combines the act of meeting with the expectation of punctuality. It is important to use the phrase when you want to highlight the significance of starting an event at the scheduled time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make it on time

Focuses on managing to arrive by the deadline.

not be late

Emphasizes the avoidance of tardiness.

be punctual for the meeting

Specifically refers to being on time for a meeting.

arrive punctually

Emphasizes punctuality as the core element.

be prompt

Highlights readiness and immediacy in arriving.

keep to time

British English equivalent emphasizing adherence to a timetable.

get there punctually

Highlights the act of arriving on time.

be on schedule

Focuses on adhering to a pre-arranged timetable.

be there by the appointed time

Specifies arrival at a set time.

adhere to the schedule

Highlights strict compliance with a plan.

FAQs

How can I use "meet on time" in a sentence?

You can use "meet on time" to emphasize the importance of punctuality in scheduled events. For example: "It's crucial that everyone "meet on time" for the project kickoff meeting."

What are some alternatives to "meet on time"?

Alternatives include "arrive punctually", "be on schedule", or "be punctual for the meeting", depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "meet on time" and "be on time"?

"Meet on time" specifically suggests that you are getting together with someone at a designated hour, for a specific purpose, and being punctual is important. On the other hand, "be on time" is a more general statement about punctuality.

When should I use "meet on time" versus "be punctual"?

Use "meet on time" when referring to a scheduled gathering. Use "be punctual" as a general statement emphasizing that you should not be late.